AD7KE: "You want to lower gas prices, get your fat arse out of the car and use some form of transportation where you use your own energy (walking, bicycling, etc"

Wow. thanks for the hot tip. But, I work as a construction electrician, normally at least 30 miles one way from home..ever try to lug 100 pounds of tools on foot? Didn't think so. Or, how about just running the grocery store, 4 miles one way. Have you ever carried 6 or 7 bags of groceries that far? Didn't think so..

I think hydrogen is the way to go. Unfortunately, for now, it requires the use of fossil fuel to generate the electricity needed to separate the hydrogen from whatever it is bonded to...on earth, that would most readily be oxygen. However, technology will improve making the production of hydrogen less expensive and more efficient. It seems to me, though, that someone could easily build a large solar complex in the desert outside of Phoenix or Tucson, where sun is plentiful, for the sole purpose of making hydrogen. Although, I suppose it would make more sense to do that near a large water source. Of course, another problem is the people who will cry, "I don't want to see windmills/solar panels in my neighborhood." Hey, I'd love to put up a windmill in my backyard. This would help cut down on my electric bill. If EVERY home had a small windmill in their backyard, in conjunction with roofs shingled with solar cells, we could cut down on our power demands significantly. We could then get plug in hybrids and not worry about putting a demand on the power grid to charge them. And, since we'd be using less oil for gas, the price would come down. But hybrids present a problem....what do you do with all those batteries once they no longer hold a charge?

OK, I'll bite. I drive an average of 13,100 miles a year in my personal vehicle. While taking inventory of the mileage I'd drive just to and from work, it's 7000. I can't cut out all of the other 6,100 miles per year but I'm sure a lot of it is inefficient use of the vehicle and can be eliminated by careful planning of my trips. Thus I'll bet I can eliminate 3,050 miles. That's >23%. I'll bet many of us doing the same thing can certainly put the break on this thing. I've already begun.

As interesting as solar/wind power is, they're not cost efficient in many settings. Most of us cannot afford to pay our power bill in advance for the next 30-40 years and that is exactly what you have to do with these forms of energy in order to purchase them as all costs are up front. The average American home/family wastes much energy. In order to make a transition to solar/wind power for most or all of their energy needs, folks have to learn every method possible to cut their consumption and then size those reduced needs to appropriate solar/wind packages.

Well, maybe this is an Old E-mail Thread, but to some it is an Old Thorn in our sides. The middle and low income earners not only pay for the gas and power, but pay more [you can figure this one out]. It is not just what we put in our vehicles that we pay more, everything we purchase will be going up. I'm sure truckers and trucking outfits will pass on their increases to consumers. Instead of just brushing this off, do something. Support a one or more day trucker boycott of driving their rigs. I have reduced [drastically] the amount of driving I do. This also hurts recreation facilies as I no longer can afford to drive to them [urbaninization]. It is time that we really do something to eliminate this outright rip off by multinational monopolies!Well, onto the stationary bicycle for my daily excerse. Will turn of the radio while doing this to save sky rocketing electrical costs, and adding to pollution.

Copyright 2000-2016 eHam.net, LLC
eHam.net is a community web site for amateur (ham) radio operators around the world.
Contact the site with comments or questions.
WEBMASTER@EHAM.NETSite Privacy Statement